<p>I just wanted to wish HS Seniors and their families good luck with upcoming auditions. I remember last year traveling all over to auditions. My son did not feel he did well at auditions but did get accepted into three music schools all with great scholarships. Keep in mind that it is okay to make a mistake here or there; don't be too hard on yourselves. Parents - try to see what other attractions, etc. there are the area you are visiting. We did do some campus and music school tours but on a couple of our visits we found some things outside of the campus to do. Try some of the food the area is known for (ie, cheesesteak in Philly, Primanti Bros in Pittsburgh, Deep Dish pizza in Chicago, etc) Those attractions off campus might be just the perfect distraction for nerves. And if they don't get accepted into the school (which at most competitve music schools is more likely) you can say you at least got to experience a bit of the local culture. I can also selfishly say I really treasure that time I got to spend with my son before he left for college and am grateful that I had the time to accompany him on his auditions.</p>
<p>Thank you so much jsmom, you’re so sweet. 
It is very stressful and yet it’s so exciting! My auditions aren’t until next month but it will come quicker than I know it, so knowing that stresses me out.
I am still waiting to hear back from two schools, so I am just anxiously waiting for those emails! Some schools take an awfully long time to get back to you.
But thanks for the advice, I think I’ll check out some of the local attractions while I’m there. :)</p>
<p>A resounding second to what jsmom said! D3 and I had a great time on her audition trips (well, mostly!) and we worked out a nice routine including ritual foods before the audition (chicken caesar salad), celebration afterwards (chocolate!) regardless of how she felt she did, and doing something fun locally.</p>
<p>Here’s to sparkling performances, perfect travel conditions, and only good surprises through the process!</p>
<p>best way i’ve thought about it so far is to make your deposit and forget about it. you’re done with the audition, just worry about the next one…it feels good to know you have all of your information out there and will know eventually where you’ll end up</p>
<p>I wish my parents were more supportive like you guys. They’re being so inconsiderate right now. I have my live audition for NEC scheduled for Feb. 21 and now I doubt either of them will accompany me. I also live in NY, so that’s not very close.
They don’t even want me to audition because they think it’s useless because they’re assuming that I’m getting into MSM and that I am going to go there.
NEC and MSM are both my top choices but I want to audition for NEC and I AM going to, I don’t care whether they come with me or not. I told them both the date already and now my parents are saying that they have work on that day. When I got a bit emotional about it they called me “selfish” I don’t know what to do or say. 
I really wanted this to be like a bonding experience just like what you described above.</p>
<p>nalawala: Try to stay positive and look on the trip to Boston as an adventure–its only a few hours on the train. My son chose to do a trip on his own involving several flights which required crossing international borders and all the extra customs and security hassles that involves. I would have preferred to go with him but he wanted to do that one audition on his own. It ended up being one of his best auditions and the trip went very smoothly–son had a wonderful time. </p>
<p>If you enroll at NEC, you will be travelling the NY-Boston corridor plenty and your parents may just want you to get a feel for that. The NEC audition day tends to be quite short (i.e. often nothing more than the 15-minute audition) with little for parents.</p>
<p>I don’t think you are being selfish at all for wanting a parent with you on that audition trip. While obviously I can’t psychoanalyze from afar, perhaps your parents unconsciously really want you to stay at home close to them in NY and therefore are doing their best to ignore the whole NEC possibility.</p>
<p>nalawala: sorry you are having to go through this. I’m sure your parents have good reasons. You will feel great about yourself and your ability to be independent when you are done.</p>
<p>I kind of wish someone was going with us too! We are California girls headed out for our first winter trips to the midwest. Scary. I remember what I always told my D when she was little: “We must be brave, little Piglet”. May we all find strength. And thanks for the encouragement. I will pass this on to D.</p>
<p>You may also wish to consider any of a number of inexpensive bus lines that have several runs a day in each direction for $30-$40 round trip. You could conceivably leave early in the morning, have your audition mid-afternoon and get back the same evening, thus avoiding the need for a hotel. Google something like “cheap bus nyc boston” to find a few different options. Given the hassle of getting back and forth to the airports on both ends and having to be there early for check-in and security, the bus may actually take less time door to door than the plane. For those who are instrumentalists, small instruments can be taken aboard as carry-on luggage and the fare is low enough to buy a second seat for a large instrument rather than putting it in the luggage compartment under the bus.</p>
<p>Boltbus and Megabus, but nalawala probably knows them. Nalawala, I know a number of kids who went to the NEC audition by themselves-- a pianist, a violinist, and a cellist. They all did fine, and had a great adventure. I wish your parents were able to go with you, but you can do this. You’ll be fine! The Back Bay area of Boston is an exiting place. You’ll run into plenty of other kids auditioning, with and without their parents. Do you know what hotel you will stay in?</p>
<p>A bit more expensive but Amtrak is also an option. Good luck Nalawala. And as Glassharmonica said, you will certainly see that there are others that have come without parents at your audition. You might want to ask NEC if you could stay overnight with a student - you’d save money and get more of a feel for the campus, etc. And agreed that your parents may have legitimate reasons for not being able to accompany you - financial, work, or that they really want you to stay closer to home.</p>